Changes in Employment

Changes in Employment

Enrolling in benefits

Please review our policies on eligibility for enrollment. To enroll in benefits, please contact Bethany Benefit Service for an application. Complete the application and send it back to Bethany Benefit Service for processing. Bethany Benefit Service cannot accept applications missing any appropriate signatures.

Transferring from one Covenant employer to another

To complete the transfer of your benefits from one Covenant employer to another, Bethany Benefit Service needs a Termination of Employment Form from your former employer and a Transfer of Benefits Form with your updated employment information. Your former employer will be responsible for your health insurance coverage until the end of the month in which your employment was terminated. Reimbursements and/or invoices will be sent automatically after your transfer of benefits has been processed.

Terminating employment

If your employment is terminated or your hours per week are decreased below the eligibility requirements, your employer must send Bethany Benefit Service a Termination of Benefits or Employment Form. You are eligible for benefits through the end of the month in which the change occurred, and reimbursement will be sent to your employer automatically for unused premiums after your termination of benefits has been processed. If terminating health insurance, you will automatically be offered continuation of coverage by mail. You may continue your health insurance policy at your own expense for up to eighteen months.

Terminating insurance for other reasons

If you choose to terminate your insurance plan to elect another insurance plan other than another employee plan provided by a different employer, you may not continue life and long-term disability benefits and you may not re-enroll until the next open enrollment period. This waiting period is immediately canceled if you transfer employment to another Covenant institution.

Severance packages

If your employer chooses to offer you a severance package when terminating employment, please note that you are only eligible for health benefits (including medical, dental, vision, and prescription insurance). You are not eligible for life and long-term disability benefits after your employment has terminated.

After your severance package agreement has expired, you will be offered continuation of coverage, which allows you to remain enrolled in health insurance at your own expense for up to eighteen months.

Retiring

If you plan to retire in the near future, please contact Bethany Benefit Service for a Retiree/Medicare Supplemental Insurance application and packet. You and your eligible dependents are able to continue receiving health benefits into retirement. After the age of sixty-five, this plan is a supplementary plan to Medicare and includes vision, dental, and Medicare part D prescription coverage. (Please note: You are only eligible for life and long-term disability insurance while you are actively working full-time at a Covenant organization. These benefits cannot be carried into retirement.) Please see our Retirement and Medicare page for more details.

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Bethany Benefits

Ministers and church workers enjoy the benefits of group coverage through Bethany Benefit Service, such as low co-pays and deductibles, choice of doctors, wellness care, and transferable benefits. They also know that Bethany Benefit Service is available to act as their advocate to ensure their claims are handled in a timely manner. Churches save time and money, as well as support the larger Covenant family, by joining a larger group plan as opposed to purchasing insurance on their own.